The debate is still well underway and unresolved: Is cannabis (both marijuana and hemp) considered a plant with medicinal value?

Cannabis scientists have proven over and over again, it can be. Examples abound where cannabis has proven effective in treating seizures, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and even oral health and diabetes, among a variety of other conditions. Still, lawmakers and cannabis advocates do not overwhelmingly agree.

Even presidential nominee, Joseph Biden, whose social policies are more progressive than that of his conservative counterparts, believes medical marijuana requires more research before the federal government can legalize it.

More recently, the debate on marijuana’s medicinal legitimacy has been front and center as states and cities struggle to cope with COVID-19 and hinder the spread of the virus. As the coronavirus sets in, more and more states, cities, and counties have shut down all commerce except that deemed “essential.” When it comes to medical marijuana, this definition has been put to the ultimate test.

While in some parts of the country marijuana dispensaries remain open during the national shutdown, in other parts, those same types of dispensaries are closed.

Back And Forth, And Somewhere In Between

In San Francisco, California, for example, the city first deemed marijuana dispensaries “non-essential,” ordering them to shut down during the temporary ban on business as usual. Meanwhile, 50 miles south of San Francisco, in San Jo`se, California, the city found in favor of marijuana dispensaries, permitting them to remain open during the coronavirus lockdown, classifying them alongside hospitals, grocery stores, and gas stations, as an “essential” service to the community.